Military vet offers view from Europe
Jeffrey Fischer has a unique viewpoint of the war in Ukraine, as well as the military security of Europe and global repercussions that can affect everyday Americans.
The 54-year-old retired U.S. Air Force
Lt. Colonel, a Northwest Indiana native, is a 30-year military veteran with seven combat deployments and special ops assignments with the Pentagon. He also is former executive assistant to the NATO special operations headquarters commander, serving two European embassy tours before moving to Austria, where he has lived for more than a decade.
For the Memorial Day weekend, Fischer returned to this area to publicly share his insights and experiences about what’s currently taking place in Europe since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and also a broader perspective that likely counters what most mainstream media outlets are reporting to readers and viewers.
“A significant number of European nations relied far too heavily on the Peace Dividend of the 1990s. Some (countries) even believed that conflict would not return to that continent in today’s enlightened age,” Fischer told me before his first public appearance in the Chicago area.
On Tuesday, the highly decorated expatriate spoke to the veterans’ employee resource group of the Hinshaw & Culbertson law firm in Chicago. Fischer’s hybrid presentation, “An American Expat’s View on European Security,” featured his expertise on multiple fronts — Europe’s hollow forces, NATO’s distance dilemma, implications for the U.S. defense industry, and the most likely global recourse for the next five years.
“People in this region will be surprised with some of the information I’ll be sharing, which may counter what they’re hearing on CNN or Fox News,” said Fischer, who was raised in Valparaiso and Crown Point.
Fischer is currently staying in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood, thanks to a generous friend who’s a diplomat stationed in El Salvador.
“I genuinely enjoy sharing the thoughts and experiences I’ve learned in Europe,” Fischer said. “I often find it humorous when my childhood friends do a doubletake on a comment or fact I share about Europe. To them it’s new information, yet to me it’s commonplace.”
On Thursday at 5 p.m., Fischer will speak at the Masonic Lodge in Chesterton (Calumet Lodge No. 379), sharing the same hour-long power point presentation he created for his Tuesday program in Chicago. (Tickets are still available.)
His viewpoint on what’s taking place in Ukraine and Europe uses a different lens to zoom in on specific targets of understanding while also observing the bigger picture. For example, underlying factors such as: certain European countries not contrib
uting at least 2% to their defense funds; the lack of commitments to NATO forces; and an overarching attitude that war would not break out again on that continent.
“And now those nations are scrambling to figure out how to catch up,” said Fischer, whose military resume provides an accomplished expertise on special ops knowledge.
As the former executive assistant to the commander of NATO’s special operations, Fischer was the commander’s principal confidant, trusted advisor and senior manager of the command staff. Essentially, he was the principal gatekeeper of all information in and out of the commander’s office. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Fischer has published works in “The Defense Post” and “Balkan Insight,” mostly regarding the war in Ukraine or Russia’s electronic warfare usage in that country.
Given his three diplomatic tours in foreign embassies, and his current residence in Europe, the range of issues he can write about is quite wide. Many of his friends and former colleagues are senior government, political and military personnel from across Europe, exposing him to new if not differing perspectives.
“I’m truly hopeful attendees can walk away from the event with useful, new knowledge that enables them to see current events from a different angle,” Fischer told me. “While they may not agree with a European perspective, it will perhaps enable them to reconsider some of their positions, offering a different narrative than the U.S. media cycle.”
Months ago, he contacted me in advance of his appearances here for two reasons — first to share his global insights with region residents, and also to share his new suspense thriller book of fiction, “Live Range,” available on Amazon.
“A good number of the scenes in this book are what happened to me in my life and my military career. They’re just jumbled up in a way so I won’t get in trouble for disclosing too much information about actual events,” Fischer said.
The book’s online description offers this scene-setting synopsis: “While serving his country, Curt Nover witnessed enough violence to last a lifetime. As a military veteran, he wanted to heal others… and himself. Unfortunately, Nissassa Inc. has different plans. Curt would soon become an unwilling pawn in a game of life and death. The clock ticks as Curt races to thwart a World Leader’s imminent assassination, save his own life, and destroy those trying to kill him.”
From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Fischer will host a charity book signing at the Barnes & Noble bookstore in Valparaiso. His self-published book will not be available for sale at that store after his appearance, so he welcomes guests to visit and pick his brain about any subject.
“I will sign every copy of my book, and
I’m more than happy to talk personally with guests,” said Fischer, who has two other books to be released this year, “Balkan Reprisal” and “Afghan Ghosts.”
All book royalties earned by Fischer this month will be donated to humanitarian relief organizations to aid Ukrainian refugees.
Even after a three-decade career of serving our country, Fischer continues to serve our world.
“Living in Europe, we’re seeing a lot of refugees coming into Austria,” he said. “It hurts to see a mom and three kids begging for just a place to stay and something to eat. I’m too old to fight the enemy, so this is my way to serve.”